Union presents petition for East End Food Co-op to boycott Israeli products

This story was updated on Nov. 13 to reflect the latest language on the union’s petition, which differs from that included in a link on the organization’s Instagram page.

After more than a year of trying, UE Local 667 gathered enough signatures to present a petition to the East End Food Co-op’s board of directors lobbying for the boycott of Israeli goods at the grocery store.

The United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America Local 667 represents the workers of the EEFC. It has endeavored since last July, when it approved the petition’s language, to gather the 500 signatures required by the food store’s bylaws to present the document.

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The union has been promoting the EEFC’s Nov. 6 annual meeting and its intentions since at least October, asking members who agree with their position to attend in support of the petition. Co-op member Simone Shapiro attended the meeting and said the group’s promotion worked.

“There were 80 to 85 people that attended the meeting,” she said. “A large number of those people were wearing keffiyehs.”

The union also had a table outside the main room, Shapiro said, where its members distributed information about the boycott and “Co-ops Against Genocide” stickers.

As a Jewish member of the co-op, Shapiro said it was a “disturbing” scene.

“As a Jew, a keffiyeh is not just an item of clothing. It’s something that has an association with a threat,” she said. “I’m not saying there was a threat of violence in the room, but it does trigger a reaction, especially in a situation like this where we know there are disagreements about what will be said.”

Those disagreements started with claims made in the petition which, Shapiro said, is filled with lies about Israel.

The petition accuses Israel of an “ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people and war in the Middle East.”

It asks the grocery store’s members, “Should EEFC implement a boycott of all Israeli-sourced products until and unless Israel 1.) Immediately ends all wars and 2.) ends its occupation of any foreign land in adherence with international law?”

According to information distributed by the union, the co-op stocks five Israeli products: Field Day Tahini; Soom Chocolate Tahini; Manischewitz Gefilte Fish; Equal Exchange Extra Peaceful Olive Oil; Let’s Do Organic Gluten-Free Ice Cream Cones; and Four Season bell pepper varieties.

Ironically, the Extra Peaceful olive oil is produced by a nonprofit organization of Arab and Jewish women in Israel that “uses fair trade to foster educational and economic opportunities and model mutual respect and collaboration between Jews and Arabs. They’re inspired to be agents of change, building bridges between communities, setting a positive example for their children, and promoting peace for future generations,” according to the product’s website.

While the co-op’s annual report doesn’t list the number of products it carries, it does record the store’s annual net sales as more than $14 million. It has more than 17,000 members.

Jeremy Kahn has been a member of the co-op for 15 years. He is running for a position on the board of directors and is against giving in to the union’s demands.

“I see it as opposed to what the co-op stands for, which is inclusion and diversity and welcoming everyone that walks through the door,” he said. “I don’t think the co-op can succeed if it’s going to enact divisive and discriminatory boycotts.”

When speaking at the meeting about his candidacy, Kahn said he would resign as a member of the store if the union’s petition was enacted. His statement wasn’t welcomed by everyone in attendance.

“I’m up there proposing that we have a place where we coexist without yelling at each other and they responded by yelling at me,” he said. “I think that says a lot about what the motivations are of the people that would argue for this boycott.”

Kahn hopes the board decides not to vote on the boycott, which he believes is within its rights.

“The East End Food Co-op does not engage in divisive, discriminatory boycotts, period. We are not going to put this to a vote, that would be my preferred action,” he said. “The board has a fiduciary responsibility. This boycott could open the co-op up to lawsuits, to legal action that would be bad for the co-op. More importantly than that, though, the co-op cannot entertain the notion of discrimination in its proceedings. That would be wrong.”

According to its bylaws, the board has 30 days to respond to the petition.

Board President Tom Pandaleon acknowledged receipt of the petition at the meeting. The board said its next steps will be to verify that all the signatures on the petition are valid and from active members. It will also consult an attorney.

According to Shapiro, Pandaleon said several times during the meeting that, ultimately, “majority rules.”

Shapiro isn’t sure what that means.

“Who is the majority?” she asked. “Are we talking about a percentage of the membership? Are we talking about a flat number? Are we talking about the people who vote, the people who come to the meeting in person? It’s not clear and I would say I have the definite feeling that it has not been worked out what the next step is.”

Kahn believes the union doesn’t share that confusion.

“If this boycott passes, they’re saying they’ll welcome me, but only if I think like them and act like them,” he said.

It’s the opposite of community, he said, and contrary to the mission listed on the co-op’s website: To be a full-service grocery store open to everyone.

And, he said, it’s contrary to how he believes those on the other side of the boycott argument should be treated, should the petition be rejected.

“When this is all over, when the boycott is put down, I will welcome them into the co-op with open arms. They are my neighbors. They are part of my community, and I respect their differing views,” Kahn said. PJC

David Rullo can be reached at drullo@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.